BofA's Savita Subramanian on The New S&P 500: AI-Driven and Asset-Light | #567

My guest today is Savita Subramanian, Bank of America’s Head of U.S. Equity Strategy & U.S. Quantitative Strategy. Barron’s named Savita as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance. In today’s episode, we cover the key trends shaping markets as we start 2025. Savita discusses the evolution of the S&P 500 over the past 50 years and why that leads her to be more comfortable with higher valuations today. Then she explains why productivity gains could drive the next bull market and why corporate margins have remained elevated despite inflation volatility. Plus, Savita weighs in on the future of small, mid, and large caps and why she favors selective stock picking over buying the index.

Wendy Li on How To Invest Like Elite Endowments | #566

Today's guest is Wendy Li, founder and CIO of Ivy Invest, which offers an endowment-style fund with traditional and alternative assets. She’s spent her career as an institutional investor managing billions of dollars for some of New York’s largest endowments and foundations. In today's episode, Wendy walks through the strategies and principles behind how major endowments invest, manage risk and navigate the evolving landscape of alternative assets. Then we shift to Ivy Invest and her innovative approach in making endowment-style investing accessible to individual investors. She explains her approach to building a diverse investment portfolio, her framework for liquidity management, and how this fund structure allows individuals to invest with no need to be an accredited investor.

Audiobook - Shareholder Yield: A Better Approach to Dividend Investing - 2nd Edition | #565

In this special episode, I’m releasing the full audiobook of Shareholder Yield: A Better Approach to Dividend Investing. While you can purchase the audiobook on Amazon, podcast listeners can listen here for free! Check out the description and times of each chapter below.

The Best of 2024: Damodaran, Gerstner, Asness, Bessembinder & French | #564

In today's episode, we look back on an amazing 2024 with the episodes that YOU enjoyed the most.

Felix Zulauf - The Next Market Reversal Could Be Ugly! | #563

Today’s returning guest is macro-expert Felix Zulauf, founder of Zulauf Consulting. He was previously the global strategist for UBS and later ran his own asset management firm. In today’s episode, Felix explains why he’s concerned about the concentration of global equity markets and why he believes the US stock market is in a bubble. Then he shares his outlook for commodities, Bitcoin, and currencies. As we wind down, he advises investors to shift their focus from managing opportunities to managing risks.

Fran Kinniry on The Past, Present & Future of Vanguard | #562

My guest today is Fran Kinniry, Principal and Head of Vanguard Investment Advisory Research Center. Fran has been at Vanguard since 1997 and served as the Global Head of Private Investments and Global Head of Portfolio Construction. In today’s episode, Fran highlights the role of advisors to help investors stay disciplined and avoid creating their own bear markets. He discusses his role leading Vanguard’s entrance into private equity in 2020, covering the initial launch and what’s next. He also touches on the market today, making the case for fixed-income, international diversification and rebalancing as 2024 comes to a close.

Robeco’s Matthias Hanauer - Think Value Investing Is Outdated? Think Again | #561

Today’s guest is Matthias Hanauer, a researcher on Robeco’s Quant Equity Research team. In today’s episode, we discuss the intricacies of value investing, the impact of various factors such as interest rates and market conditions, and the potential for emerging markets and small cap stocks going forward. Matthias highlights his research on the ‘Factor Zoo,’ the integration of machine learning in investment strategies, the evolution of quantitative investing, and more.

Michael Venuto on ETFs in 2024: FIRE, Crypto, Nancy Pelosi & More | #560

My guest today is Michael Venuto, CIO & co-founder of Tidal Financial Group, an ETF platform with over 175 ETFs and $25 billion in assets. In today’s episode, Mike & I discuss the banner year for the ETF industry and some of the trends contributing to the record inflows and fund launches. Then Mike talks about some different strategies, including ETFs that support people in the FIRE movement, blockchain and crypto, and yes, even how you can invest alongside Nancy Pelosi.

Joel Nagel on Global Asset Protection: Defense for a Dangerous World | #559

My guest today is Joel Nagel, founder of the international law firm Nagel & Associates, which has a major focus on asset protection. Joel is also the Chairman of Caye International Bank, and has served as ambassador to Austria, the United Nations in Vienna and to Croatia and Slovenia on behalf of the Belizean government. In today’s episode, Joel starts by covering the four key risks in asset protection. He walks through different use cases for trusts, second passports and dual citizenship to help negate these risks. Joel also shares his perspective on both gold and cryptocurrencies and explains why using debt can be a helpful tool to protect your assets.

Aswath Damodaran on Sugar Daddies, The Magnificent Seven & The Art of Selling Stocks | #558

Today’s returning guest is Aswath Damodaran, a professor at NYU, where he teaches corporate finance and equity valuation. In today’s episode, Professor Damodaran delves into the intricacies of investing and the lifecycle of companies. He also covers the challenges of valuation in a changing economy, the trend of buybacks versus dividends, and the evolving role of AI in finance. Be sure to stick around to hear him critique ESG investing and share insights on the broken media landscape.

JP Morgan's David Kelly - Spread Out or Miss Out: The Urgent Case for Diversification | #557

My guest today is Dr. David Kelly, Chief Global Strategist and Head of the Global Market Insights Strategy Team for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. In today’s episode, Dr. David Kelly discusses various economic themes, including inflation, consumer sentiment, the value of the dollar, and the government deficit. He also covers the current state of global markets and urges listeners to reassess their risk exposure in light of recent wealth gains.

Marty Bergin, DUNN Capital - 50 Years in the Markets: How Trend Following Can Survive and Thrive | #555

My guest today is Marty Bergin, President of DUNN Capital Management, which manages over $1.5 billion and is one of the longest continually running trend following firms in the world. In today’s episode, Marty reflects on the firm's 50-year journey in the trend following space and shares how a firm can not only survive but thrive over five decades. He touches on the resilience required to weather market fluctuations, how an allocation to trend following may enhance portfolio performance, and the need for adaptability in strategies while staying true to your core principles.

Meb Faber & Wes Gray - Unlocking Tax Efficiency: Inside the Launch of Cambria's Groundbreaking ETF

Today's guest is Wes Gray, CEO & Co-CIO of Alpha Architect and a strategic advisor to ETF Architect. Wes & I discuss the Cambria Tax Aware ETF (TAX), which aims to achieve a tax-efficient investment return consisting of capital appreciation while emphasizing low dividend distributions. We also break down the 351 to ETF contribution process and how investors can transition their low-basis investments into the ETF structure tax-efficiently.

Dr. Bryan Taylor - Surprising Lessons from 100 Years of Financial History | #553

My guest today is Dr. Bryan Taylor, President and Chief Economist for Global Financial Data, which provides the most comprehensive, historical economic and financial information. In today's episode, Bryan walks through what he's learned from studying 200+ years of market concentration in the US. Then we dive into his analysis of financial history over the past eight centuries by breaking the past up into five historical eras. He shares how this can improve our understanding of the returns to stocks, bonds and bills and the equity risk premium in the future.

Owen Lamont on Bubble Fever, Index Gripers & Inefficient Markets | #552

Today's guest is Owen Lamont, a Portfolio Manager at Acadian Asset Management. He’s been on the faculty at Harvard, Princeton, Yale and the University of Chicago. He also writes the blog, Owenomics. In today's episode, Owen walks through how he analyzes market bubbles and if the U.S. is in a bubble today. He touches on the rise of passive investing, the gamification of trading and why the U.S. stock market is Koreafying. Owen also shares his view on closed-end funds, short-selling, AI and what Seinfeld can teach us about investing.

Brad Gerstner on The AI Supercycle, Invest America & Stock Compensation | #551

My guest today is Brad Gerstner, founder and CIO of Altimeter Capital, a multi-billion dollar technology-focused investment firm that invests in both public and private markets. In today's episode, Brad discusses his journey in investing, how to invest in the AI supercycle, and how he incorporates the impact of stock compensation when analyzing companies. Brad also covers his initiative, Invest America, aimed at promoting financial literacy and inclusion for children in the U.S. He highlights the need for a collective effort to empower the next generation and ensure they have a stake in the economy.

Tiger Cub Rob Citrone on Milei's Argentina: A Bullish Outlook for Investors

Today’s guest today is Rob Citrone, founder of Discovery Capital Management, a hedge fund that invests opportunistically across asset classes in emerging and developed markets. Rob worked for Julian Robertson at Tiger Management in the mid 1990’s and managed money for the Soros family. He’s also a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In today’s episode, Rob explains why he expects the investment regime to shift, with higher volatility and lower returns in the next decade. He highlights the potential for Latin America to outperform Asia in the coming years and why he sees a huge opportunity in Argentina. He also discusses his investments in cryptocurrencies, why he’s bearish on China and Europe, and the skill and discipline needed to be a short seller.

Rob Arnott on The Upside of Getting Dumped: Investing in Index Deletions | #549

Today’s returning guest is Rob Arnott, founder and Chairman of Research Affiliates. In today’s episode, Rob discusses his newest article, ‘Nixed: The Upside of Getting Dumped,’ which explores the concept of investing in stocks that have been removed from major indexes. He explains that these ‘dumped’ stocks often outperform the market and thinks investing in a strategy such as this provides an opportunity to invest in deep value, small-cap, and unloved companies. Meb and Rob touch on other topics, including the performance of value investing, the narrative around AI, and the macroeconomic backdrop.

Inside the Mind Of A Successful Trend Follower: Doug Greenig | #548

Today’s guest is Doug Greenig, CEO & CIO of Florin Court Capital, which uses systematic trend-following in over 500 markets. Doug’s been involved in markets for over 30 years and was most recently at Man AHL as the Chief Risk Officer and Head of the Portfolio Management Group. In today’s episode, Doug explains why we’re living in a world made for trend following. He explains his unique approach to trend following and the benefits of expanding the number of markets traded, including esoteric ones like California carbon emissions and Turkish interest rate swaps. Doug also touches on the macro backdrop - characterized by deep structural change and tail risks, including intensifying geopolitical conflict and US fiscal instability.

Introducing The Best Investment Writing

We launched a new podcast called The Best Investment Writing. It began as a book, then as individual episodes on this feed, but listeners enjoyed it so much that we decided it needs to be its own show! Where else can you hear hand-selected investment research voiced by some of the most respected money managers and investment researchers in the world. Listen to a recent episode we published featuring prior podcast guest, Jason Buck, reading a piece titled Herschel Walker Syndrome.